1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus that performs recording of a color image using a plurality of process cartridge respectively storing a plurality of toners with different colors.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of a recording apparatus is conventionally provided inside the apparatus with a rotator (hereinafter referred to as carriage) capable of storing a plurality of process cartridges detachably. In this recording apparatus, different process cartridges each for a toner with a different color are inserted into the carriage, the carriage is rotated to form each color image with the respective color of toner, while superimposing the formed color images as one image on an intermediate transfer medium, and the obtained image is transferred to recording paper.
However in the conventional technique as described above, since the apparatus is provided with the carriage, and a plurality of process cartridges corresponding to different colors are attached in the carriage, the following problems occur:
In the above-described apparatus, a predetermined cartridge opening is provided to exchange a process cartridge, and the process cartridge is attached or detached through the cartridge opening one by one, while rotating the carriage. Therefore, when the process cartridge is not attached in a storage place at a position opposite the cartridge opening, it is not possible to judge a state of the storage place easily only by viewing inside the apparatus through the cartridge opening. Thus the case tends to occur that recording is instructed with no process cartridge attached, for example, due to that an operator forgets to attach it.
It is considered in the above case to provide a sensor to determine at an initial operation time whether or not the process cartridge is attached, and to notify the absence of the process cartridge to an operator if it is not stored. However, even in the foregoing, the operator should perform some operations so that a cartridge storage place with no cartridge in the carriage moves to a position opposite a cartridge opening, resulting in the problem that the operations required until the process cartridge is attached are complicated.